He’s no stranger to love, and 80s legend Rick Astley had his fans dancing with delight as he performed some of his biggest hits.

It’s almost 30 years since Rick flew to the top of the charts with Never Gonna Give You Up and Whenever you Need Somebody – and these pop anthems were still crowd pleasers as he belted them out to hundreds of adoring female fans at the Key 103 annual Ladies Lunch along with the new song Keep Singing.

Fans across the generations rushed to have a selfie taken with the pop heartthrob, who is marking his 50th birthday with a release of a new album called 50, which he calls his ‘midlife crisis.’

Rick’s performance was one of the highlights of a fun-filled afternoon at the Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel.

He told us: “It’s a long time since I’ve been in a room like that. I felt like I was going on as a stripper.

“But seriously, it raises money for a very good cause and it is a bit of fun.

“My songs have had a new lease of life because of the Internet.

“I was sick to death of Never Gonna Give You Up 21 years ago but that has passed now.”

Video Loading

Video Unavailable

Click to playTap to play

The video will start in 8Cancel

Play now

Video will play in

Share this video

Watch Next

Also performing at the lunch, raising funds for Key 103’s Cash For Kids helping disadvantaged local children, was The Voice winner Kevin Simm from Chorley, who sang his winner’s song All You Good Friends, Rihanna’s hit Stay and Adele’s Rolling in the Deep as his set was transformed into a fashion show and models strutted their stuff around him.

Rick Astley poses for selfies with fans (Photo: Vincent Cole)

The former Liberty X singer told us that he is penning his solo album after winning the BBC One talent show earlier this year.

An Alice In Wonderland theme was chosen to celebrate Key 103’s own Queen of Hearts breakfast show presenter Chelsea Norris and the 10th anniversary of the charity lunch, with flamingos, mini croquet mallets and playing cards decorating the tables.

The Voice winner Kevin Simm performs as the fashion show models strut around him (Photo: Vincent Cole)

Chelsea recently returned to the show, which she co-hosts with Mike Toolan, following her maternity leave.

Video Loading

Video Unavailable

Click to playTap to play

The video will start in 8Cancel

Play now

Video will play in

Share this video

Watch Next

And she had a surprise for the guests when she introduced onto the stage her fiance Ben Postma-Tonge and their adorable five-month-old baby Minnie.